Railway-signal



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. J. WISNER. RAILWAY SIGNAL.

N Patented June 4, 1889..

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7 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. A. J. WISNER.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 404,457 Patented June 4, 1889.

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Ibl wa 'b'ue Tedawmh witnesses M WW7 N. PETERS, PhomLilhographar.Walhingian. II D 4 e e h S w e e h S 4 M N w ms Y m J L -M R M d o M 0 WNo. 404,457. Patented June 4, 1889.

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WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

A. JACKSON WISNER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,457, dated June 4,1889.

' 7 Application filed January 24, 1888- Serial No. 261,709. (NomodeL) Toall whom it Hwy-concern.-

Be it known that I, A. JACKSON WIsNER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented a new andImproved System of Automatic Electric Railroad-Signals, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the annexed drawings, making part hereof.

The nature of my invention will fully appear from the followingspecification and claims. Its object is to prevent collision and otheraccidents to moving trains on railroads.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a por- .electric wires attached tocontact-springs D D, one g of which wires passes to the negative main B,(see Fig. 2,) and all of the other tion of a track supplied with myelectric signals; Fig. 2, a cross-sectional view of the same, showingthe springs for carrying the circuitmaking rod; Fig. 3, an elevation ofa broken section of track, showing an electric switchblock; Fig. 4, adetached plan View of an electric switch-block. Fig. 5 is a plan View ofa double-track road with my invention applied thereto, showingparticularly my system of electric wires connecting with the signals onone side of the track; Fig. 6, a plan view of a double-track road; Fig.7, a similar View of a single-track road; Fig. 8, a perspective View ofa double-track road provided with my signal.- Fig. 9 represents asection of a lamp post or pole; Fig. 10, a view of road with station,but no siding; Fig. 11 a lamp with supporting-post. Fig. 12 is adetached view, showing in elevation my roller;depressor arranged insidethe wheel to operate the negative contact mechanism by rolling over theinside rod without pushing it longitudinally. Fig. 13 is a detachedpartial or broken view of sections 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the wires carryingelectric lights h h h", the arrangement of the wires being shown more indetail in Fig. 5. Fig. 14 is a detached broken view designed toillustrate the connection of main wires B and B with a Brushelectric-light machine.

A A are the two rails.

B is the positive, and B the negative, elec tric mains set between therails; O, a flat rod set within one of the rails A and paralleltherewith slightlybelow the level of the upper surface of the rail. Itis sustained by springs C 0 set at intervals upon the ties C", and is onthe upper face of switch-block E.

adapted to be depressed by the flangespf the wheels of a passing train.

D D D D are seven small contact-springs set on an insulating material D(see Fig. 3) v A copper plate 0" on the under face of rod 0, separatedtherefrom by the insulating material, is so set that when the said rodis depressed contact between springs D D D is made by plate 0 touchingall the springs D D simultaneously. The circuit is broken by the reboundof springs C, which raise the rod when the pressure of the wheels isremoved.

a, b, 0, cl, 6, f, and 9 (see Fig. 4) are seven six connect with sixcorresponding wires a b c d e f in long box or conduit F. The box F isparallel with and outside of the rails A A, and the wires a 1) 0d 6 fare carried to it under that rail A intervening between blocks E and thebox F. All these wires are covered with insulating material. The wiresin box F areconnected with signal-lamps, each wire passing from thepositive. electric main B to a lamp and thence back to negative main B.fWVhen the rod A is depressed, it touches all of the contactspringsD D Dof each series :beneath it simultaneously. A train or engine with itstender is never less than forty-one feet in length, and theswitch-blocks E are 5 placed about forty feet apart. The flanges of thewheels or (in case they are used) rollers I (see Fig. 12) will thus beardown upon rod 0 over one or more of switch-blocks E at all times. Asmentioned above, on the bottom of the rod 0, over each switch-blockE,-is a short metallic (say copper) strip 0", (see Figs. 2 and 3,) withan insulating material between it and the rod. When the rod is presseddown, this strip 0 touches each contactspring D D D of the switch-blockbeneath it and brings them intoelectrical contact each with the others.A circuit is thus completed between the wires a b c d of, through wireg, with the negative main B. The circuit is made and broken at eachswitch-block E by hrowing plate or strip 0 into and out of contact withthe contact-springs.

Each wire ICO Q Q, Q Q (2)", &c., (see Fig. 5,) leadsfrom the positivemain 1 to the half-mile of light wires in its own half-mile section andin the two half-mile sections ahead of it. Thus the wire Q connects withlight-wires a l) c in section 2, and wire a passes forward and down intosection 4 through the cluster of wires lettered a". Vire b similarlypasses forward into section to connect with the contactsprings ofcluster of wires a, and wire 0 passes directly down into the samehalf-mile section in which Q, islocated to connect with thecontact-springs of cluster a". Positive wire 'Q similarly connects withits own and two forward half-mile sections of lightwires. In this waythe wires lettered Q (with its powers) keep the light-wires chargedready to ignite the carbons when circuit is made with wire g, whichconnects with the negative wire B.

If a train of cars located at I., the pressure of the red C on the blockE connects the wires to with the negative wire g, and therefore with thenegative main B, completing the circuit for the electric current andigniting the carbons in the light-wires. As these wires to are thusconnected with the negati ve main, the current passing upward andbackward through wire (I. to the upper line of white lights It inhalf-mile section 2, and through wire I) to the line 72. of blue lightsin section 3, and through wire 0 to the lower line ofred lights 71/ inits own half-mile section 4, wire (1 passes forward into the upper lineh of white lights in section 5, wire 6 to the upper line of white lights72. in section (5, and f into'the white lights h of section 7 It will beseen that the wires (Z cf, as at points cl e" 7',would, by connectionsat those points, seem likely to exert an influence to the rear of pointL; but if these lines are carefully traced to the rear of that point, itwill be seen that they terminate at blocks E, where there is no agencyat work to connect them with the negative wires g at such blocks, andthe current for the time terminates at such blocks. The only lightsaffected are those connected with the cl uster of wires 0.", which are,by the contactsprings of blocks E, joined to negative wire g. Thecontact-springs and the details of construction of these blocks E E Eare not shown in Fig. 5, because the parts are so small therein, and thebox or conduit containing wires N N N is not shown, because it isdesirous to have the lines exposed in order to trace the wires and theirconnections. This description of the operation of the current when thetrain is in half-mile section t will suflice for the operation resultingfrom its location in any other half-mile section. It will in each caseresult in the ignition of red lights in its own sect-ion and blue andwhite in the respective sections behind it, and white in three half-milesections in front. I11 each block E or E the wires a, Z), c, d, e, and ffrom the lights, while separated from each other,

are respectively connected with contactsprings D D D D D D, and the wireg from the negative main B is connected with contact-spring D. Thesecontact-springs are all in line in juxtapositiomand when the metallieplate 0 is pressed down upon them all Sllllllll'fll'lOOllSlY, connectionis made be tween the wires g and the others through thesecontact-springs and the plate 0. The carbons on the wires 72. 71, 71.are thus ignited by the force of the current. train is moving orstanding the operation is the same, signals being thrown into twohalfmile sections behind and three halfmile sections ahead of its ownsection, as well as being shown in the latter. The arrows indicate thedirection of movement of the train.

In a single-track road the system already described is set on each sideof the track, the device being arranged to throw signals for trainsmoving to the right in the same manner as is already described, but fortrains moving to the left a separate system arranged for the lower sideof the track, (as shown in the drawings,) and the arrangement oroperation is to throw white lights ahead of the train moving to theleft, the red in its own half-section and the blue and white in therespective half-sections behind, so that trains running in oppositedirections will opcrate them, as above described. In such case theflanges of the wheels will operate both.

systems of wires and lights or signals (those on each side) at the sametime. Thus while the wheel-flanges on one side or line of track willoperate the white lights ahead and the red, blue, and white behind, asdescribed, the flanges of the wheels on the other side will operate thewhite lights behind and the red, blue, and white ahead for a mile and ahall each way. In this manner all danger of collision is avoided.

In Fig. 11 I show one of my lights composed of three lamps inclosed in aglass casing. The latter maybe of any colored glass desired. The casingaround the lamps may be made transparent in both sides forward andbackward in the line of track and opaque on the two sides toward andopposite to the track, whereby the illui'nination of the interior may beperceptible through the glass in the daytime as well. as at night. Thediameter is greater between the opposite edges of each flange thanbetween those of the tread portion of the wheel. The wheel runs upon thetread, and the circumference of the flan ge being free travels fasterthan that of the tread. The flange will therefore tend to thrust the rod0 backward as the train moves and to grind upon it. Therefore thesprings 0 should be simply strong enough to sustain the rod withoutgivin it very strong pressure against the flanges; otherwise the rodwould be torn from its fastenings. To avoid this difficulty a series ofwheels or friction-rollers similar to I", Fig. 12, maybe rigged beneath\Vhether the the engine and each car so as to be in con stant contactwith a rod 0 and roll freely and easily over it, their action beingsimply to depress rod 0 without friction, as the roller or wheel 1 turnsloosely on its pin or axis, and only then when in contact with rod 0.The flanges, wheels, or rollers are intended to act as depressors tobear upon rod 0. This roller 1 is rigged beneath the cars between therails immediately-inside the line of wheels, (see Fig. 12,) by means offrame I". When it is used, the rod 0 is set so as to come in contactwith it and far enough from the rail to avoid contact with the flangesof the'wheels. This is done when it is desired to avoid the back-thrustof the flanges. It is desired that the action upon rod 0 be merely adepressing action, or as nearly exclusively so as possible. The positiveand negative mains B and B are simply two main lines connected with adynamo or system of dynamos, which supply them with the electriccurrent. As circuit is broken from one to the other through theseparation of one of them into two parts at the points where thecontact-springs are located, it cannot be established until the plate 0is depressed and bridges this break by connecting the contact-springs.By the depression of this plate circuit is made complete and the carbonsin the lamps are ignited.

Fig. 13 simply shows signal-lamps on sections of wires 5, 6, 7, and 8,the parts in Fig. 5 being too small for this purpose. Fig. 6 indicatesthat the signals may be set on each side of a double-track road, andFig. 8 is a perspective View showing that they may be set on each sideof a single track. These figures, together with Figs. 9, 10, and 11, areof no special importance in illustrating the invention, but are meredetails to show where it may be applied and of some of the devicesemployed. Fig. 14: is designed to illustrate the connection of thepositive and negative main wires B and B with a Brush electric-lightmachine, onlya part of the latter being shown, as I make no claim to it.The wire B joins coil IV and the current connects with wire B throughthis coil W, armature X, coil WV, through the commutator Y to positivemain wire B.

yVhat I claim as new is 1. In a system of electric signals forrailroads, the combination, with rail A, of rod 0, set parallel with andclosely to the inner side of the rail, positive and negativecontactsprings D D, connected with wires leading, respectively, topositiveand negative mains B B, the wires from the positive main, withsignals connected therewith in the line of their traverse, and negativeconnecting-wires 9, so arranged that th e pressure of the wheel-flangesof the train will depress rod 0 and effect electrical circuit,substantially as described.

2. In a system of electric signals for railroads, the combination, withrail A, of rod 0, set parallel with and closely to the side of the rail,positive and negative contact-springs D I), connected with wiresleading, respectively,

to positive and negative mains B B, the wires from the positive main,withsignals connected therewith in the line of their traverse, andnegative connecting-wires g, so arranged that the pressure of the wheelsof the train will depress rod 0 and effect electrical circuit,substantially as described.

3. In a system of electric signals for railroads, the combination, withthe rail A, of spring-rod 0, set parallel with and closely to the sideof the rail, positive and negative contact-springs D D, connected withwires leading, respectively, to positive and negative mains B B, orwires from the positive main traversing back along the road, with asignal or signals in its or their traverse, one or more of said wirestraversing back along the line of-road and one or more of themtraversing forward along the line, with signals set upon said wires inthe lines of their traverse, and negative wires from contact-springs D,all op erating, substantially as described, to throw signalssimultaneously ahead of and behind the train.

4. In a system of electric signals, the com bination, with rail A, ofrod 0, set parallel with and closely to the side of the rail, andpositive and negative contact-springs DD, set at intervals along theline of the rail and connected with wires leading, respectively, to thepositive and negative mains B B, the wires from the positive main beingprovided with signals in the line of their traverse and arranged inblocks, substantially as shown, whereby, as the train progressesand'circuit is broken with one block behind, circuit is made or closedwith an additional block farther ahead, continuous successive blocks ofsignals being thus operated as the rear signals cease to operate,substantially as described.

5. In a system of electric signals for railroads, the combination, withrail A, of rod 0, set parallel with and closely to the rail, plate 0with insulator D", springs O, to sustain rod 0, contact-spring D D,connected with wires leading, respectively, to positive and negativemains B B, signal-lamps set on the line of and operated by the positivewires when circuit is closed by the depression of rod 0, and negativewire g, rod 0 being adapted to be depressed by the wheels of the train,substantially as described.

6. In a system of electric signals for railroads, the combination, withrail A, of rod 0, set parallel with the rail, positive and negativecontact-springs DD, connected with wires leading, respectively, topositive and negative mains B B, the wires from one of the mains havingsignals connected therewith in the line of their traverse, negativeconnecting-wires g, and a Wheel or roller attached to one or more of thevehicles of the train to depress said rod and close circuit,substantially as described.

7. In a systemof electric signals'for railroads, the combi.nation, withrail A, of rod 0,

set parallel with the rail, positive and negat0 the train and adapted tobear upon red C tive contact-springs D D-, connected with to closecircuit, substantially as described.

wires leading, respectively, to positive and w m 7 w I \N R. negativemains l3 13', the wires from the )OS1- A JALIXDON E 5 tive main havingsignals connected thei-e- \Vitnesses:

within the line of their traverse, negative \VM. H. CARSON,

connecting-wires g, and a depressor attached ALBERT \VISNER.

